atlantis.found-第13部分

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his　bike；　who　was　distracted　by　the　conversation。　Pitt　was　no　stranger　to　killing；　but　it　wasn't　in　him　to　knife　another　man　in　the　back；　no　matter　how　rotten　the　victim　might　be。　In　the　same　motion；　he　reversed　the　grip　on　the　knife　and　plunged　the　blunt　hilt　with　all　his　strength　against　the　base　of　the　biker's　neck　below　the　helmet。　It　bordered　on　a　killing　blow；　but　it　was　a　pound　short　of　fatal。　The　biker　sagged　in　his　seat　and　fell　back　against　Pitt　without　making　so　much　as　a　soft　moan。　Pitt　crouched　low　and　quickly　threw　his　arms　around　the　body；　held　it　for　a　moment；　then　lowered　it；　together　with　the　bike；　quietly　onto　the　ore　cart　track　with　the　engine　still　idling　in　neutral。
　　　　　Working　swiftly；　he　pushed　aside　the　biker's　chest　protector　and　uncased　a　Para…Ordnance　10＋1　round；　。45…caliber　automatic　from　a　shoulder　holster　strapped　under　an　armpit。　He　trained　the　sights　on　the　back　of　the　biker　standing　on　his　right　and　pulled　back　the　hammer。　He　had　never　fired　a　P…10　before；　but　from　the　feel；　he　knew　the　magazine　was　full　and　that　the　gun　possessed　most　of　the　same　features　as　his　trusty　old　Colt　。45；　which　was　locked　inside　the　NUMA　vehicle　he'd　driven　to　Colorado　from　Washington。
　　　　　The　headlights　on　the　motorcycles　brightly　illuminated　the　two　killers；　who　failed　to　detect　the　figure　stealing　up　behind　them；　but　as　Pitt　crept　closer；　he　passed　in　front　of　the　light　from　the　third　bike；　which　was　lying　on　the　track；　and　he　became　identifiable　to　Ambrose。
　　　　　The　anthropologist　spied　Pitt　emerging　from　the　bright　light；　pointed　behind　the　bikers；　and　blurted；　〃How　did　you　get　back　there？〃
　　　　　At　the　words；　Pitt　took　careful　aim　and　allowed　his　index　finger　to　caress　the　trigger。
　　　　　〃Who　are　you　talking　to？〃　the　first　biker　demanded。
　　　　　〃Little　old　me；〃　Pitt　said　casually。
　　　　　These　men　were　top　of　the　line　in　their　profession。　There　was　no　hint　of　stunned　surprise。　No　pointless　discussion。　No　obvious　questions。　No　hesitation　or　remote　display　of　uncertainty。　Their　sixth　sense　worked　as　one。　Their　actions　came　with　lightning　speed。　In　a　seemingly　fused；　well…practiced　movement；　they　jerked　the　P…10　autos　from　their　holsters　and　whirled　around　within　a　single　second；　the　expressions　on　their　faces　frozen　in　cold　implacability。
　　　　　Pitt　did　not　face　the　killers　full…on；　knees　slightly　bent；　his　gun　gripped　and　extended　in　two　hands　directly　in　front　of　his　nose；　the　way　they　taught　in　police　academies　or　as　seen　in　action　movies。　He　preferred　the　classic　stance；　body　turned　sideways；　eyes　staring　over　one　shoulder；　gun　stretched　out　in　one　hand。　Not　only　did　he　present　less　of　a　target；　but　his　aim　was　more　precise。　He　knew　that　the　gunslingers　of　the　West　who'd　lived　to　a　ripe　old　age　had　not　necessarily　been　the　fastest　on　the　draw；　but　they　were　the　straightest　shooters；　who'd　taken　their　time　to　aim　before　pulling　the　trigger。
　　　　　Pitt's　first　shot　took　the　biker　on　the　right　in　the　nape　of　his　neck。　A　slight；　almost　infinitesimal　shift　of　the　P…10　as　he　squeezed　the　trigger　for　the　second　time；　and　the　biker　on　the　left　took　a　bullet　in　the　chest　at　nearly　the　same　instant　his　own　gun　was　lining　up　on　Pitt's　silhouetted　figure。　Pitt　could　not　believe　that　two　men　could　react　as　one　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　Had　they　been　given　another　two　seconds　to　snap　off　a　shot；　it　would　have　been　Pitt　whose　body　fell　heavily　across　the　granite　floor　of　the　mine　tunnel。
　　　　　The　gunshots　erupted　like　a　deafening　barrage　of　artillery　fire；　reverberating　throughout　the　rock　walls　of　the　tunnel。　For　ten　seconds；　perhaps　twenty　it　seemed　more　like　an　hour　Pat；　Ambrose；　and　Marquez　stared　unbelievingly　at　the　dead　bodies　at　their　feet；　eyes　wide　and　glazed。　Then　the　tentative　beginnings　of　a　dazed　hope　and　the　final　realization　that　they　were　still　alive　broke　the　horror…numbed　spell。
　　　　　〃What　in　God's　name　is　going　on？〃　Pat　said；　her　voice　low　and　vague。　Then　she　looked　up　at　Pitt。　〃You　killed　them？〃　It　was　more　a　statement　than　a　question。
　　　　　〃Better　them　than　you；〃　Pitt　said；　putting　his　arm　around　her　shoulders。　〃We've　experienced　a　nasty　nightmare；　but　it's　almost　over　now。〃
　　　　　Marquez　stepped　past　the　rails　and　leaned　down　over　the　dead　killers。　〃Who　are　these　people？〃
　　　　　〃A　mystery　for　law…enforcement　authorities　to　solve；〃　replied　Ambrose。　He　thrust　out　a　hand。　〃I'd　like　to　shake　your　hand；　Mr。　。　。〃　He　paused　and　looked　blank。　〃I　don't　even　know　the　name　of　the　man　who　saved　my　life。〃
　　　　　〃It's　Dirk　Pitt；〃　said　Pat。
　　　　　〃I'm　deeply　in　your　debt；〃　said　Ambrose。　He　seemed　more　agitated　than　relieved。
　　　　　〃As　am　I；〃　added　Marquez；　slapping　Pitt's　back。
　　　　　〃What　mine　do　you　think　they　entered　to　get　here？〃　Pitt　asked　Marquez。
　　　　　The　miner　thought　a　moment。　〃Most　likely　the　Paradise。〃
　　　　　〃That　means　they　purposely　trapped　themselves　when　they　blew　the　dynamite　that　caused　the　avalanche；〃　said　Ambrose。
　　　　　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃Not　purposely。　They　knew　they　could　make　their　way　back　to　the　surface　by　another　route。　Their　big　mistake　was　in　using　too　massive　a　charge。　They　hadn't　planned　on　the　earth　tremors；　the　collapse　of　the　tunnel；　and　the　opening　of　the　underground　fissures　that　allowed　the　water　to　rise　and　flood　the　tunnel。〃
　　　　　〃It　figures；〃　agreed　Marquez。　〃Since　they　were　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　cave…in；　they　could　have　easily　ridden　their　bikes　up　the　sloping　shaft　ahead　of　the　flooding　to　the　entrance。　Finding　it　blocked　with　snow；　they　began　searching　connecting　tunnels　for　a　way　out〃
　
　　　　　〃And　after　riding　lost　through　the　mines　for　hours；　eventually　came　upon　us；〃　finished　Ambrose。
　　　　　Pitt　nodded。　〃By　riding　up　the　Paradise's　entrance　shaft　to　this　level；　they　saved　climbing　the　vertical　shafts　we　were　forced　to　struggle　through。〃
　　　　　〃It's　almost　as　if　they　were　looking　for　us；〃　Marquez　murmured。
　　　　　Pitt　didn't　voice　his　thoughts　to　the　others；　but　he　was　certain　that　once　the　bikers　had　ridden　to　the　upper　levels　to　escape　the　flooding；　they　had　then　followed　in　the　footsteps　of　the　four　of　them。
　　　　　〃It's　all　so　crazy；〃　said　Pat；　staring　dazedly　at　the　dead　bikers。　〃What　did　he　mean；　we　were　‘involved　with　matters　far　beyond　our　prehension'？〃
　　　　　Pitt　shrugged。　〃That's　for　others　to　decide。　The　question　in　my　mind　is　who　sent　them？　Who　do　they　represent？　Beyond　that；　I'm　only　a　marine　engineer　who　is　damp　and　cold　and　wants　to　find　a　thick　Colorado　prime　rib　medium　rare　and　a　glass　of　tequila。〃
　　　　　〃For　a　marine　engineer；〃　said　Ambrose；　grinning；　〃you're　pretty　handy　with　a　gun。〃
　　　　　〃It　doesn't　take　virtuosity　to　shoot　a　man　from　behind；〃　Pitt　came　back　cynically。
　　　　　〃What　do　we　do　with　him？〃　inquired　Marquez；　pointing　at　the　biker　Pitt　had　clubbed　senseless。
　　　　　〃We've　no　rope　to　tie　him　up；　so　we'll　take　his　boots。　He　won't　get　far　in　bare　feet　through　the　mine　tunnels。〃
　　　　　〃You　want　to　leave　him？〃
　　　　　〃No　sense　in　hauling　an　inert　body　around。　Chances　are；　by　the　time　we　notify　the　sheriff　and　he　sends　his　deputies　down　here；　the　killer　will　still　be　unconscious。〃　Then　Pitt　paused　and　asked；　〃Have　any　of　you　ridden　motorcycles？〃
　　　　　〃I　rode　a　Harley　for　ten　years；〃　answered　Marquez。
　　　　　〃And　I　have　an　old　Honda　CBX　Super　Sport　that　belonged　to　my　dad；〃　Pat　volunteered。
　　　　　〃Do　you　ride　it？〃
　　　　　〃Rode　it　all　through　college。　I　still　hit　the　roads　with　it　on　weekends。〃
　　　　　Pitt　looked　at　Pat　with　newfound　respect。　〃So　you're　an　old　leather…crotch；　hard…in…the…saddle　woman。〃
　　　　　〃You　got　it；〃　she　said　proudly。
　　　　　Then　he　turned　to　Ambrose。　〃And　you；　Doc？〃
　　　　　〃Never　sat　on　a　motorcycle　in　my　life。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　　　　　〃Because　we've　got　what　look　like　three　perfectly　good　Suzuki　RM125　supercross　bikes；　and　I　see　no　reason　why　we　can't　borrow　them　and　ride　out　of　the　mine。〃
　　　　　Marquez's　teeth　showed　in　a　wide　smile。　〃I'm　with　you。〃
　　　　　〃I'll　wait　here　until　the　sheriff　shows　up；〃　said　Ambrose。　〃The　rest　of　you　get　going。　I　don't　want　to　spend　any　more　time　with　a　live　killer　and　two　dead　men　than　I　have　to。〃
　　　　　〃I　don't　like　leaving　you　here　alone　with　this　killer；　Doc。　I'd　prefer　that　you　ride　behind　me　until　we're　out　of　here。〃
　　　　　Ambrose　was　firm。　〃Those　bikes　don't　look　like　they　were　meant　to　haul　passengers。　I'm　damned　if　I'll　ride　on　one。　Besides；　you'll　be　traveling　over　rail　tracks；　making　it　unstable　as　hell。〃
　　　　　〃Have　it　your　way；〃　said　Pitt；　giving　in　to　the　obstinate　anthropologist。
　　　　　Pitt　crouched　and　removed　the　P…10　automatics　from　the　bodies。　He　was　anything　but　a　born　killer；　but　he　showed　little　remorse。　Only　a　minute　earlier；　these　men　had　been　intent　on　murdering　three　innocent　people　whom　they　had　never　met　an　act　he　could　never　have　allowed　to　happen　under　any　circumstances。
　　　　　He　handed　one　of　the　guns　to　Ambrose。　〃Stay　at　least　twenty　feet　away　from　our　friend；　and　stay　alert　if　he　so　much　as　blinks。〃　Pitt　also　gave　Ambrose　his　dive　light。　〃The　batteries　should　last　until　the　sheriff　es。〃
　　　　　〃I　doubt　if　I　could　bring　myself　to　shoot　another　human；〃　Ambrose　protested；　but　his　voice　came　with　a　cold　edge。
　　　　　〃Don't　look　upon　these　guys　as　human。　They're　cold…blooded　executioners　who　could　slit　a　woman's　throat　and　eat　ice　cream　afterward。　I　warn　you；　Doc；　if　he　looks　cross…eyed　at　you；　brain　him　with　a　rock。〃
　　　　　The　Suzukis　were　still　idling　in　neutral；　and　it　took　them　less　than　a　minute　to　figure　out　the　shift；　brake；　and　throttle　controls。　With　a　farewell　wave　to　Ambrose；　Pitt　roared　off　first。　There　was　no　room　for　the　machines　to　move　between　the　outer　rails　and　the　walls　of　the　tunnel；　not　without　scraping　the　handgrips　on　the　rough　granite。　Pitt　kept　his　wheels　in　the　center　of　the　rail　tracks；　closely　followed　by　Pat　and　Marquez。　Bouncing　over　the　rail　ties　with　rigid　suspensions　rattled　their　teeth　and　made　for　unfortable　riding。　Pat　felt　as　if　her　insides　were　being　shaken　around　by　a　laundromat　dryer。　Pitt　found　the　trick　was　to　find　the　proper　speed　that　gave　the　least　vibration。　It　worked　out　to　twenty…five　miles　an　hour；　a　speed　that　might　have　seemed　slow　and　safe　on　a　paved　road　but　was　quite　dangerous　inside　a　narrow　mine　tunnel。
　　　　　The　hard…rock　acoustics　made　the　exhaust　blast　echo　in　their　e